Film-printing machine.



I. A. RAI/Ism.

FILM PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.29, ISIS.

Patentd. Jan, 16, IQI? 'Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. RAMSEY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

FILM-PRINTING MACHINE.

Ljiplication tiled December 29, 1 915.

To ali .whom t muy conccm f Bc it known that l. Jourv A. RAMs-xiv, acitizen of the {vnitcd States of America. residing at New York. N. Y.,have invented a new and useful FihnJrinting Machine`r of which thefollowing is a specification.

The general objects of my present invention are to enable the rapid.accurate printing of motionpicture films.

Another object to provide a machine. capable ofl such work `which willbe :tree of complications and which can be readily and successfullyoperated without requiring the exercise of any particular skill or thenecessity ot' any previous training.

In the accoii'iplishlnent of these and other objects l employ a movablesupport for transporting the `film past a source of light and I providemeans for first placing the inner or under strip of tilm on said supportand thereafter superposing the second film strip on top of said firstpreviously placed and relatively fixed film strip. As a support forthetilni I preferably employ a sprocket having its periphery or aportion of its periphery disposed in the planc of the printing apertureso as to carry the section of'supportedilm across said printingraperture. A pressure or backing plate is usually provided for holdingthe superposcd layers of ilmtraversingtheprintingaperture. This pressureplate may bf "tilized as a part of the means for plat', .g orsuperposing the second film strip on the irst iilm strip and a simpleform. of guide roller, located in front or the pressure plate, may beprovided forplacing the first film strip on the suporting sprocket inadvance of the second Elm strip.

Other features of the inventionand details of construction will appearthe specification proceeds, attention being directed to the accompanyingdrawings wherein is illustrated a practical and preferred form of theinvention.

In the drawings: Figure l, is a view in 'side elevation of a machineconstructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, parts beingshown broken away. Fig. 2, is a view of the rear side otl the machineshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 25, is a horizontal sectional vievi7 takensubstantially on the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is adetail perspective view of the light casing and one of the filmsupporting sprocket wheels.

In the machine herein illustrated the strip Specification of Letterskatent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Serial No. 69.136.

of negative iihn is supplied from a rcel R and the strip of sensitizedlilin 9. which, after printing. becomes thc positive. is supplied from arccl l). 'l`hcse two lihn strips are brought together at the tfccdingout sprocket ll, on which they may be hcld by a spring pressed roll l2.itcr going through the printingr operation the printed tihn is in theillustration taken up by a takc-up sprocket l5. against which it is heldb v a spring pressed roller lli. and wound on a take-up rcel 1T. 'lhcseseveral l'ccding dc vices and theI mechanism which supports the iilln atthe printing point arc all usually housed in a casing, the front wallo't which is indicated at 2t). This front wall is utiY lized also in thcillustration as a baseboard supporting' the brackets 2l and 2;) in whichthe shafts :23 and 24 oi' thc t'ceding out and take-up sprocketsrespectively are mounted. The take-up reel is usually positively drivenas by means of a belt 25 engaged over a pulley 26 on the take-upsprocket shaft 24'.

30 designates a suitable iight source. disposed in iront oi' the windowor printing opening 3l in the front wall ot thc casing and carried inthe present instance by a sup port which can be niovcd toward or awayfrom the window i'or thc purpose of increasing or decreasing theintensity ot' the light.

The light passes from the light source through theI window Ill in thecasing and into a housing 35 at the inner cnd ot which the film beingprinted is supported.

According to the at present preferred torni ot' my invention thc filmbeing printed is supported by a sprocket of about double the size ofthey usual iihn i'ccding sprocket and consisting ot' two sprocket wheels38 located just outside thc sides oi the light housing 35 and spacedapart a distance corresponding to the width oi' thev pici ture beingprinted. ln the particular torni shown these sprocket wheels are.mounted on a shait 39 passing through the light housing 35 and journalcdin the brackets 4() carried by theI base plate 2t).

' The end walls of the light housing 35 is shown rounded at 43 tosubstantially correspond to the curvature of the. iihn sections beingprinted on thc. supporting sprocket and is further shown provided withan aper! ture 44 admitting the beam ot' light to the ihn. f

To provide a light trap the side walls ot the housing 35 are in theillustration bossed -to and positioned "and is firmly held thereon.

or flanged outwardly as indicated at 45 and the inner opposing faces ofthe sprocket wheels are recessed or countersunk as indicated at 46 tofit over such outwardly flanged portions. At the printing aperturethislight trap is cut away as indicated at l? to enable the printing ofthe full space between the sprocket wheels.

The first or inside film strip 7 is directed upon the supporting'sprocket at a point some distance in advance of the printingI apertureby a PQuide which here takes the form of a roller 5() carried by an arm51 which is pivoted at 52 and normally forced toward the supportingsprocket by a springY At the leaving of the sprocket this film strip is.guided and controlled by a guide roller similar to the one justdescribed. By these means the first film strip is laid upon thesupporting sprocket and held firmly thereon.

The second or outer film strip 9 is not applied until after the firstinner film strip has been applied to the -sul'i'iorting sprocket lnother words the inner film strip is first fixed upon the supporting'sprocket and thereafter the ond film strip is applied to thisrelativelyv fixed film strip.

The means for thus subsequently applying;` the second film stripcomprises in the machine illustrated, a pressureor backing; platepivoted at ."if` and held i-.n yielding' engagement over the outsidefilm strip by a springy pressed button ai'. rll`his spring pressed plateis urved to conform to the curvature of.2 the film strip being' printedand may be faced with velvet or the like matcrial as indicated at 58 toprevent scratching7 or injuring the film. i i

The strips of' film advanced by the feeding out sprocket are usuallyallowed to bulge out as indicated at Fig'. l to provide plenty of' slackand to permit of the placing; of the first film strip on the sprocket inadvance of the second strip and ready to have the'second stripsuperposed thereon. This laying on effect is clearly illustrated in Fig.l where it will be seen that the `guide roller 50 operates to lay theinner film strip on the sprocket at a point in advance oi the printingraperture and that the backii'lg plate disposed in rear thereof, asconcerns the direction of rotation, operates to superpose the secondfilm strip on top of the first film strip, after the first film striphas been firmly fixed upon and is moving forward positively with thesprocket. rThis it will be evident prevents any slippage and maiutains auniform absolute register of the pi tures being printed. in practice thenegative strip is usually placed next the sprocket wheel and thepositive film strip is superposed on top off the negative strip.

The construction of the yielding holding or in the form of a cani asindicated at so that the spring button will readily' engage thereover.

The drivingof' the several parts of the machine by mountingn a drivepulley on one end of the supporting sprocket shaft 39 with which engagesa driving' beltl'l and by operating the feeding' ofix and takeuipsprockets through lrearing from a shaft `which is geared to the sprocketshaft 39. neu-ting; shaft T2 is liown connected with the supportingsprock 1; shaft 39 by spiral gears T3 and ill, with the feeding oli'sprocket snaf't by spiral gears 75 and 7G and with the 'take-upsproclflet shaft by spiral gears 77 and '78. rifhe parts are by thesesimple neans all driven inproper time and proper sy-nchronisni.

fi special advantage-vvhicli my invention possesses is thai by reason ofthe simple Construction and the holding oi the superposed filmV firmlyand withoutslipping., the niachine may be operated continuously and. atas high a rate of speed as the density of the film will permit.

nother and very important advantage poss ssed by my invention isi-thatanydi'fftei-ences in the perfor-ations inl ythe two films areautonnitically compensated for at'tlne printingpoint. This advantagewill be more fully appreciated when it is realized that in thedevelopment of the negative film shrinkage very frequently occurs.lilith my invention this shrinkage will have no effect upon theprinting:r on the unshrunk positive strip of film. because the negativefilm is first laid upon the supporting,l sprocket so as to in eflectconstitute a part of the surface of said sprocket and thereafter 'thepositive strip is simply engaged over this supple nientary supportingsurface and moves along with the same past the pifintinp,` point.

ldlhat l claim is:-

l. ln a machine of the character described, the combination with a lightsources of' a film support arrai'ured to support super-f` posed sectionsof negative and positive film l in printing' relation to said lightsource an. movable to carry 'fresh sections of films into prinfi'.' ofthe ',ifms on said film support at a point' in advance ol' the printing'point and means for superposiug' Vthe second film on. said previouslyplaced film at a point between. the priminev point and the point wherethe This cono ielatirm.y means for disposing oneY is accomplished in theillustration,

isa

Clt

first film is placed on the film support, whereby said second film isplaced on a relatively fixed section of film and relativemovementbetween the contactingr sections of film is thereby avoided.

In a machine of the character described, the combination with a lightsource, of a film support arranged to support super-posed sections ofnegative and positive films in printingl relation to said light sourceand movable to carry fresh sections of films into printing relation,means for disposing one of the films on said film support at a point inadvance of the print-ing point, means for superposing the Second film onsaid first previously placed film at a point between the printing pointand the point where the first .film is placed on the film support,whereby said second film is placed on a relatively fixed section of'film and relative movement between the contacting sections of film isthereby avoided, and means for operating 'the film support to advancefresh sections of films to the printing point.

il. .in a machine of the character described, the combination with alight source, of a roatably mounted film support arranged to aupportsuperposed sections of negative and iositive filmsI in printing relationto said light source, means for disposing one of the films en said filmsupport at a point in advance of the printingr point, and means forsuperposing the second film on said first previously placed film at apoint between the printing point and the point where the first film isplaced on the film support.

4. In a machine of' the character described, the combination with alight source, of a rotatably mounted film support arranged to supportsuperposed sections of negative and positive films in printing relationto Said light source, means for disposing one of the films on said filmsupport at a point in advance ofi the printing point, Ameans forsuperposing the printed film on said first previously placed film atapoint between the printing point and the point wherethe first film isplaced on the film support, and means rotating the rotatable filmsupport to advance fresh sections of film to the printing point.

In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a movablymounted film support arranged to support strips of film superposedrelation, means for disposing the inner film strip on said support atone point and means for super-posing the second film strip on the firs#previously place-d film strip at a point in zar of the point where thefirst film strip is placed on the film support considering the directionof movement of the film support.

f. In a machine of' the character described,

the combination of a rotatable film support,v

a guide for directing the film onto said support and a second guidedisposed in rear of the first guide and arrangedto direct a sec ond filmon top ofthe previously placed film on the film support.

7. In a machine of the character set forth, a film supporting sprocket,a light source disposed in printing relation to said sprocket, a guidefor directing a film strip onto the periphery of' said sprocket at apoint in advance of the printing point and a second guide disposed inrear of the first guide and between said first guide and the printingpoint arrangedrto place a second film strip on top of the firstpreviously placed strip.

8. In a machine of the character set forth, a light housing having aprinting aperture in the end thereof, sprocket wheels at the sides ofsaid housing having portions of their peripheries in the plane of saidlight aperture, means for guiding a film strip onto the sprocket wheelsat a point to one side of the light aperture and means for guiding a`second film strip on top of the first previously placed film strip at apoint between the light aperture and said first guiding means.

9. In a machine of the character set forth, a light housing having aprinting aperture in the end thereof, sprocket wheels at the sides ofsaid housing having portions of their peripheries in the plane of Saidlight aperture, means for guiding a film strip onto the sprocketwheelsat a point to one side of' the light aperture, means for guiding asecond film strip on top of the first previously placed film strip at apoint between the light aperture and said first guiding means, and apressure plate yieldingly bearing on the superposed films crossing thelight aperture.

10. In a machine of the character set forth, a light source, a. filmsupporting sprocket arranged in printing relation to said source, meansfor disposing a film strip on said supporting sprocket at a point inadvance of the printing point, means for sluierposing a second film onsaid first previously placed film strip at a point between the printingpoint and the point where the first lm strip is placed on the sprocketand means.' for continuously rotating said sprocket.

11. In a machine ofthe character set forth, a light housing having arelatively fixed curved Wall at one end thereof provided with a printingaperture therein, a shaft intending through said housing between theside walls thereof, sprocket wheels fixedly secured on said shaftoutside the side walls of' the light housing having their peripheralportions in substantial alinement with the outer surface of the endwall, the side walls of said light housing being separated at theprinting aperture substantially a raises@ the full-Width of the spacebetween the sprockets `whereby to permit of printing substantially thefull-Width oi"- a ilm strip supported on said sprocket Wheels and saidcurved end Wall and a light'trap between the sprocket Wheels and theouter sides of the light housing.

l2. fl. film printing machine comprising a tilrn supporting sprocketarranged in printing relation to a suitable source of light, means forapplying and holding a predetermined length ot lilrn strip on saidsprocket, thereby causing such length of film strip to travel as a unitwith said supporting sprocket and means tor superposing and holding alesser length of film strip on the aforesaid held length oi' iirst filmstrip hctween the ends of said supported and held portion of the firstlilin strip.

13. ln a machine of the character de-v scribed, a light housing having,nan' open 'front end and a` curved wall at its opposite end provided withprinting aperture therein, external outstanding annular Hanges on theside Walls of the housing' and oppositely disposed llni."supportingvsprocket Wheels recessed in their opposingr faces and iitting over saidflanges on the sides ci the housing. 14. In a machine oi the characterdescribed, a light housing haring an open front end fand a curved wallat its opposite end provided with printinry aperture therein9 externaloutstanding annu ar flanges on the side Walls of the housing, oppositelydisposed film supporting sprocket Wheels recessed in their opposingfaces 'and fitting yover said/ Hanges on the sides or" the housing and alight source adjustably supported at the open front end of said lighthousing.

15. A film printing machine comprising a film supporting sprocket, meansfor applying and holding a predetermined length ot film strip on saidsprocket, thereby causing such length of film strip to travel as a.'enit with said supporting sprocket, means tot"j supeiposing and holdinga'lesser length applying and holding a length of ilni strip on saidsprocket and thereby causing such held length ci i'iiin strip to travelwith and constitute in effect a portion of the surface of said sprocketandrneans for superposingA and holding a. second length of film on topci? the aforesaid ilm surface of the sprocket at points between thepoints Where said first til-in strip is applied to and lremoved from thesupporting sprocket whereby said length of superposed lni strip iscaused totravel as a unit the previouslir applied length of first filmstrip on the sprocket.

l?. il film printing machine comprising a film supportinggsprocketarranged in printing relation to a suitable source of light7 a guideroll arranged to guide and hold a strip of hlm upon. said sprocket andmeans for applying and holding a second strip of film on top of the filmstrip first applied disposed in. rear of said guide roll considering thedirection olf movement ot sprocket.

18. ln a, ihn printing machine the cornhinstion with a light source anda lm supporting' sprocket mounted in printing rela-- tion to said lightsource, of a hacking plate arranged to hold a strip upon said sprocketpivotally supported at one end, an abutment post arranged to he engagedby the opposite :tree end of said backing plate and a spring pressedholding button pivoted on said abutment Npost and adapted to be drawnoutward and swung over the top of the tree. end of the hacking platehearing against said post.

Jona a. einser(

